MILF joins MNLF delegation to attend 33rd OIC confab in Azerbaijan
text HADER GLANG

A two-man delegation of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) joined the delegation of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) to attend the three-day 33rd Session of the Islamic Conference (OIC) beginning Monday in Baku, Azerbaijan.

A report posted at Luwaran.com, the MILF’s official website, said the MILF delegation is led by Maulana Bobby Alonto, who is a member of the MILF negotiating peace panel, and another senior MILF official whose name is not given as of press time.

The MILF delegation was attending the conference in capacity as a “coordinating organization.” It will join the MNLF group composed of Ustadz Abdulbaki Abubakar, Assemblyman Hatimil Hassan, and an unnamed third member.

The MNLF has an official observer status in the OIC, while the MILF enjoys only de facto recognition. But, several OIC member states officially deal with the MILF since 2001, including Malaysia, Libya, and Brunei. Also a number of European states particularly Scandinavian is in contact with the MILF in recent months, according to the report.

The annual OIC session was to review the progress of the implementation of OIC resolutions, including the consideration of all draft resolutions, which were approved by the convenal of the preparatory meetings prior to the 33rd conference.

The conference will also deliberate on several reports by the OIC secretary- general as a follow-up to the resolutions adopted by the 32nd Session of ICFM held in Sana'a, Yemen, in June last year and decisions taken by the Third OIC Extraordinary Summit from Dec 7 to 8 last year in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Issues covered in these resolutions and reports include the Palestine-Israeli conflict, terrorism and enhanced economic cooperation and assistance during humanitarian disasters. (ZS)